Pressure regulator

ABSTRACT

A pressure regulator including a housing having inlet and outlet ports and a valve seat communicating with the inlet port, a flexing member mounted in the housing to form a chamber therein and a cover press fitted in the housing to retain the flexing member and having an annular fulcrum engaging the flexing member, the flexing member being flexed at a ring disposed within the fulcrum to move a valve face portion of the flexing member toward and away from the valve seat to regulate outlet pressure. In one embodiment the flexing member includes a rubber diaphragm with a metal spring disc secured thereto, and in another embodiment the flexing member is a thin, flexible metal disc providing the functions of both spring and diaphragm.

United States Patent 1191 Kelly 1451 Dec. 18, 1973 PRESSURE REGULATORPrimary Examiner-Harold W. Weakley 75 I t: S lT.Kll,T ,C'. nven or amuee y orrance alif Armmy AmhOny A OBnen [73] Assignee: Robertshaw ControlsCompany,

Richmond, Va. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1972 A pressureregulator including a housing having inlet and outlet ports and a valveseat communicating with [2]] Appl. No.: 308,619 4 the inlet port, aflexing member mounted in the hous ing to form a chamber therein and acover press fitted 52 us. 01 137/505, 137/494, l37/505.38, in thehousing to retain the flexing member and having 137 517 an annularfulcrum engaging the flexing member, the 51 Int. Cl. F16k 31/385 flexingmember being flexed at a ring disposed within [58] Field of Search137/494, 505, 505.38, the fulcrum to move a valve face portion of theflexing 137/517 member toward and away from the valve seat to regulateoutlet pressure. In one embodiment the flexing 5 References Ci memberincludes a rubber diaphragm with a metal UNTED STATES PATENTS springdisc secured thereto, and in another embodi- 3 ment the flexing memberis a thin, flexible metal disc providing the functions of both springand diaphragm 3,7l8jl52 2/1973 Kraakman 137/517 15 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures 1 1 1 l J ///1' I ,1 k 54 419111111 /1 1% 5 |4w /y 2 L W 1PRESSURE REGULATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThe present invention pertains to flow control devices and, moreparticularly, to pressure regulating devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art Pressure regulators are conventionallyutilized in flow control systems and are of particular importance inregulating the pressure of fuel supplied to appliances which should beoperated with fuel supplied within specific pressure ranges. Forinstance, combination control devices for supplying fuel to burnerapparatus conventionally utilize a pressure regulator to control a maindiaphragm valve by sensing outlet pressure such that the outlet pressureis maintained at a preset valve. In order to set the pressure at whichthe fuel is to be regulated at the outlet of the combination controldevice, a coil spring is normally mounted in compression between a valvemember and a set screw such that adjustment of the set screw varies theforce or pressure applied to one side of the valve member while theother side of the valve member senses flow pressure to be regulated.Thus, flow through a valve seat cooperating with the valve member iscontrolled to regulate pressure in accordance with the preset valve.

Pressure regulators have many uses and variations in structure, such asfor self regulating valves, valves controlling a main valve to effectoutlet pressure regulation, and the like; however, prior art pressureregulators have invariably included relatively complex structure foradjusting the preset valve for pressure regulation. For manyapplications, such adjusting structure is unwanted from both cost anduse standpoints in that only a single setting of the pressure regulatoris required; and, accordingly, prior art pressure regulators have thedisadvantages of being overly complex and expensive in many cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a pressure regulator of simplifiedstructure overcoming the above disadvantages of the prior art.

An additional primary object of the present invention is to provide apressure regulator with an integral diaphragm pan and spring.

Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for acoil spring in a pressure regulator.

A further object of the present invention is to facilitate setting ofpressure regulators during assembly thereby not requiring adjustment inthe field.

The present invention has an additional object in the production of aninexpensive pressure regulator for use with a combination control deviceto provide pressure regulation during step-opening valve operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to utilize a singlemember as a diaphragm, pan and spring in a pressure regulator, themember being constructed of metal and not adversely affected by extremetemperatures.

An additional object of the present invention is to utilize spring discin a pressure regulator, the discharging stiffening ribs engaging anannular fulcrum and a flexure ring about which the disc flexes disposedwithin the fulcrum.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art aresimple, economic construction, the elimination of the need for a coilspring without requiring additional components, and the ease ofadjustment during assembly.

The present invention is generally characterized in a pressure regulatorincluding a housing having inlet and outlet ports and a valve seatcommunicating with the inlet port; flexing means including a diaphragmhaving a peripheral margin mounted in the housing and a valve facecooperating with the valve seat, and a spring having a flexure ringsurrounding the valve face, the flexing means being flexible about theflexing ring; and a cover for retaining the flexing means in the housingand including a fulcrum engaging the flexing means at a position betweenthe peripheral margin and the flexure ring whereby flexing of the areaof the flexing means be tween the position engaging the fulcrum and theperipheral margin in a first direction causes movement of the valve facein an opposite direction.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimentstaken in conjunction with the accompany drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a section of a pressureregulator according to the present invention without fluid suppliedthereto.

FIG. 2 is a section of the pressure regulator of FIG. 1 duringregulation operation.

FIG. 3 is a top, plan view of the spring disc of the pressure regulatorof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section of another embodiment of a pressure regulatoraccording to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pressure regulator accordingto the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes ahousing 12 having a cylindrical side wall 14 with an inner surfaceterminating at an annular should 16. An annular recess 18 is formed inshoulder 16 to define an annular bead 20 which extends above the bottomof recess 20 a distance less than should 16. Housing 12 has a base 22with a central inlet port 24 therein communicating with a chamber 26within the housing through a valve seat 28. An outlet port 30 is alsoformed in base 22 communicating with chamber 26.

Chamber 26 is defined at an upper end by a flexing member including aflexible, rubber diaphragm 32 which has a central, valve face portion 34cooperating with valve seat 28 and a peripheral margin 36 supported witha fluid tight seal on bead 20 and extending over recess 18 and aflexible, integral diaphragm pan and spring 38 secured to diaphragm 32.Spring 38 is formed of a thin, flexible metal disc, as illustrated inFIG. 3, having an annular stiffening rib 40 in the center thereof andeight equally spaced, radial stiffening ribs 42 extending from positionsspaced from central rib 40 to the periphery of the disc. The spacebetween the ends of ribs 42 and rib 40 defines a flexure ring 43 whichis weak relative to the surrounding portions of disc 38 to facilitatebending of the disc thereto.

A cover 44 is press-fitted in housing 12 and has a central portion 46with an atmospheric vent 48 therein. Central portion 46 terminatesperipherally at an annular projection 50 forming a fulcrum engaging theradial ribs 42 of disc 38, and a raised portion 52 extends from fulcrum50 to an outer rim 54 having a U-shape in cross section with a surface56 engaging shoulder 16 and peripheral margin 36 ofdiaphragm 32 andterminating at an upturned lip 58 engaging the inner surface of wall 14of the housing.

In order to assemble pressure regulator 10, diaphragm 32 centrallycarrying disc 38 is inserted in housing 12 with peripheral margin 36seating on bead 20 and overlying recess 18. With the diaphragm and discin place, cover 44 is press fitted in the housing with lip 58frictionally engaging the inner surface of wall 14 for mechanicalretention. Surface 56 of rim 54 of the cover compresses and clamps theperipheral margin 36 of diaphragm 32 against bead 20 of shoulder 16 witha fluid tight seal, and recess 18 receives any massing of the diaphragmmaterial caused by compression of the peripheral margin. The pressureset point for the regulator is adjusted by the amount of depression ofcover 44 into the housing which controls the relative positioning offulcrum 50; and, accordingly, the pressure set point is easily adjustedduring assembly with no adjustment in the field required.

In operation, the diaphragm 32 and disc 38 are relatively flat when thepressure regulator is in the off condition prior to the application offluid pressure thereto, as shown in FIG. 1. Once fluid pressure issupplied to pressure regulator 10, diaphragm 32 and disc 38 flex to theregulation condition as illustrated in FIG. 2 with slight exaggeration.Disc 38 flexes at the flexure ring 43 due to its relative weakness suchthat valve face 34 is deflected to a position adjacent valve seat 28 toeffectively control flow therethrough. As shown in FIG. 2, the closingarea CA of the diaphragm between fulcrum 50 and peripheral margin 36 isgreater than the opening area OA of the diaphragm within the fulcrum 50;and, accordingly outlet pressure on the underside of diaphragm 32 causesthe outer portion of disc 38 to move upward and the central portion ofthe disc to move downward which moves the central, valve face portion 34of the diaphragm toward valve seat 28. Thus, as outlet pressureincreases, flexure or bending of disc 38 at flexure ring 43 increases tomove valve face 34 closer to valve seat 28 and reduce flow therethrough;and, similarly, as outlet pressure decreases bending of the discdecreases to move valve face 34 further from valve seat 28 to permitincreased flow therethrough. Accordingly, pressure regulator 10 operatesto control outlet pressure in the same general functional manner asconventional pressure regulators using coil springs but withl far fewerparts.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4 andparts of the embodiment of FIG. 4 which are identical to parts of theembodiment of FIG. 1 are given identical reference numbers and notdescribed again. The primary difference between the embodiments of FIGS.1 and 4 is that the flexing member is integrally formed from a singlespring member 60 providing diaphragm, pan and spring functions in thepressure regulator 61 of FIG. 4. Spring member 60 is made of a thin,flexible metal, such as brass, and has raised radial string thining ribs62 abutting fulcrum 50 concentric with an annular rib 64, and theperipheral margin 66 of spring member 60 is flat to engage surface 56 ofthe rim 54 of cover 44. The inner ends of ribs 62 define a weakenedflexure ring 67 about which the disc 60 flexes with changes in outletpressure causing movement of the disc about fulcrum 50. Housing 12 isformed with an annular recess 68 in a shoulder 70. and an O-ring 72 isdisposed in recess 68 to engage the peripheral margin 66 of the springmember to form a fluid tight seal.

The operation of the pressure regulator 61 is the same as that describedabove with respect to pressure regulator 10, and the pressure regulator61 can be set point calibrated during assembly by pressing the cover 44into the housing to compress the O-ring 72 to various degrees.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many modifications,variations and changes in detail, it is intended that all matterdescribed above or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure regulator comprising;

a housing having inlet and outlet ports therein and a valve seatcommunicating with said inlet port;

flexing means including diaphragm means having a peripheral marginmounted in said housing and valve face means disposed to cooperate withsaid valve seat to control flow therethrough and spring means having aflexure ring surrounding said valve face means, said flexing means beingflexible about said flexure ring; and

cover means for retaining said flexing means in said housing andincluding fulcrum means engaging said flexing means at a positionbetween said peripheral margin and said flexure ring whereby flexing ofthe area of said flexing means between said position engaging saidfulcrum means and said peripheral margin in a first direction causesmovement of said valve face means in a second direction opposite saidfirst direction.

2. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing hasa side wall having a cylindrical inner surface, and said cover means hasan outer rim having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter ofsaid inner surface and frictionally engaging said inner surface toretain said flexing means in said housing.

3. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 2 wherein said innersurface'of said side wall terminates at an annular shoulder, and saidouter rim has a bottom surface clamping said peripheral margin of saidflexing means against said shoulder with a fluid tight seal.

-4. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 3 wherein said shoulderincludes an annular bead defining a recess in said shoulder, and saiddiaphragm means includes a rubber diaphragm having said peripheralmargin clamped between said bottom surface of said rim of said covermeans and said annular bead.

5. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 4 wherein said springmeans is a thin, flexible metal disc secured to said diaphragm.

6. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 5 wherein said disc has aplurality of radial ribs extending from flexure ring to the periphery ofsaid disc and said fulcrum means has an annular configuration andengages said radial ribs.

The pressure regulator as recited in claim 6 wherein said disc has acentral annular rib, and said flexure ring is defined by the depressedportion between said annular rib and the ends of said radial ribs.

8. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 3 wherein said shoulderhas an annular recess therein, and said flexing means includes an O-ringdisposed in said recess to seal against said peripheral margin of saiddiaphragm means.

9. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 8 wherein said diaphragmmeans and said spring means are integrally formed in a single, thinflexible metal disc, said disc having strengthening rib meanssurrounding said flexure ring, and said fulcrum means has an annularconfiguration and engages said rib means.

10. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 1 wherein said diaphragmmeans is a rubber diaphragm and said spring means is a thin flexiblemetal disc secured to said diaphragm.

11. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 10 wherein said covermeans is press fitted in said housing and has an annular projectionforming said fulcrum means.

12. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 11 wherein said disc hasstrengthening rib means surrounding said flexure ring and engaging saidfulcrum means.

13. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 1 wherein said diaphragmmeans and said spring means are integrally formed in a single, thin,flexible metal disc.

14. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 13 wherein said covermeans is press fitted in said housing and has an annular projectionforming said fulcrum means.

15. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 14 wherein said disc hasstrengthening rib means surrounding said flexure ring and engaging saidfulcrum means.

1. A pressure regulator comprising; a housing having inlet and outletports therein and a valve seat communicating with said inlet port;flexing means including diaphragm means having a peripheral marginmounted in said housing and valve face means disposed to cooperate withsaid valve seat to control flow therethrough and spring means having aflexure ring surrounding said valve face means, said flexing means beingflexible about said flexure ring; and cover means for retaining saidflexing means in said housing and including fulcrum means engaging saidflexing means at a position between said peripheral margin and saidflexure ring whereby flexing of the area of said flexing means betweensaid position engaging said fulcrum means and said peripheral margin ina first direction causes movement of said valve face means in a seconddirection opposite said first direction.
 2. The pressure regulator asrecited in claim 1 wherein said housing has a side wall having acylindrical inner surface, and said cover means has an outer rim havinga diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said inner surface andfrictionally engaging said inner surface to retain said flexing means insaid housing.
 3. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 2 whereinsaid inner surface of said side wall terminates at an annular shoulder,and said outer rim has a bottom surface clamping said peripheral marginof said flexing means against said shoulder with a fluid tight seal. 4.The pressure regulator as recited in claim 3 wherein said shoulderincludes an annular bead defining a recess in said shoulder, and saiddiaphragm means includes a rubber diaphragm having said peripheralmargin clamped between said bottom surface of said rim of said covermeans and said annular bead.
 5. The pressure regulator as recited inclaim 4 wherein said spring means is a thin, flexible metal disc securedto said diaphragm.
 6. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 5wherein said disc has a plurality of radial ribs extending from flexurering to the periphery of said disc and said fulcrum means has an annularconfiguration and engages said radial ribs.
 7. The pressure regulator asrecited in claim 6 wherein said disc has a central annular rib, and saidflexure ring is defined by the depressed portion between said annularrib and the ends of said radial ribs.
 8. The pressure regulator asrecited in claim 3 wherein said shoulder has an annular recess therein,and said flexing means includes an O-ring disposed in said recess toseal against said peripheral margin of said diaphragm means.
 9. Thepressure regulator as recited in claim 8 wherein said diaphragm meansand said spring means are integrally formed in a single, thin flexiblemetal disc, said disc having strengthening rib means surrounding saidflexure ring, and said fulcrum means has an annular configuration andengages said rib means.
 10. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 1wherein said diaphragm means is a rubber diaphragm and said spring meansis a thin flexible metal disc secured to said diaphragm.
 11. Thepressure regulator as recited in claim 10 wherein said cover means ispress fitted in said housing and has an annular projection forming saidfulcrum means.
 12. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 11 whereinsaid disc has strengthening rib means surrounding said flexure ring andengaging said fulcrum means.
 13. The pressure regulator as recited inclaim 1 wherein said diaphragm means and said spring means areintegrally formed in a single, thin, flexible metal disc.
 14. Thepressure regulator as recited in claim 13 wherein said cover means ispress fitted in said housing and has an annular projection forming saidfulcrum means.
 15. The pressure regulator as recited in claim 14 whereinsaid disc has strengthening rib means surrounding said flexure ring andengaging said fulcrum means.